Grim, Fey Hound, Meet Fox and Stag
by T.K. Sakura
Summary: Nigellus was wrong. Po Black has her own problems, though, and no time to worry about the other side of the pond between Quidditch, her werewolf Godbrother, and conniving roommates. Too bad for her.
1. Tall, old, and Gray

T. K.: I'M BACK, BABY!

Tsuki: Oh, gods, why?!!

T. K.: I don't own HP and several other references to other shows, stories, books,or movies. Shrugs Them's da breaks, ya?

Neko: The fifth book has happened with speculations on the sixth. And Adam and Po's existances were known just never talked about. More secrets kept from Harry. Laughs menacingly Foreshadowing, anyone? Also, the reason Nigellus (SP?) didn't know was that Po was born after Sirius's disowning and Mr. Padfoot chose to keep it that way. (HP) will indicate scene changes.

T. K.: That may or may not be explained later. R&R.JA NE! ENJOY!

(HP)

The day started as it usually did, students and staff woke, breakfast was set out, teachers exchanged greetings, and students horsed around.

"Hey, Moony."

Adam Lupin looked up to see Polaris Black smiling mischievously at him; it was just like any other day at The Unicorn Horn School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the foothills of the Appalachians in Tennessee, better known as UHS to its students and faculty.

"Morning, Padfoot, what's up?"

"Nothing," she said sitting down beside her best friend, "yet."

"What do you mean by 'yet', Po?"

"Adam, my friend, my God-brother, you are far too..." she trailed off looking for the right word.

"Handsome and charming?" he supplied.

"Well, you are that, but I was thinking suspicious. But continuing on, you won't believe what my doggie eyes spied early this beautiful summer morn."

"Is it tall, old, and gray?"

Po's face fell. "How'd you guess?"

"'Cause he just walked in with Duo and they're coming straight for us."

"I don't know what he wants, but he's a bearer of bad news, I can tell you that."

"Mr. Lupin, Miss Black," Headmistress Serena Duello started, "would you come with us to my office?"

"Sure thing, Duo," Po said standing with Adam.

(HP)

"Dad's---" Adam stopped and buried his face in his hands.

Po kept shaking her head, her blue eyes glittering with tears, and muttering, "No, it can't be."

Professor Albus Dumbledore watched the two, they were sitting in separate seats and each trying to cope with their new grief and then looked at each other. Po stood up; Adam mimicked her before crossing the room and taking the hand she offered.

"I know that this is a crushing blow to you, I mean with Sirius Black's death only a year ago, but I need you two to come with me," Dumbledore said.

"Come where?" Adam asked suspiciously.

"Hogwarts, I'd bet," Po said scornfully.

"Yes, Miss Black, Hogwarts."

Po looked over at Duo, who shrugged. "You're Wards of the Ministry," she said and shrugged again, "it's truly up to you, now."

Po looked back at Dumbledore. "We'll let you know."

(HP)

Back in Adam's room, Po was sitting on his couch with Adam's head in her lap, Adam was crying. Their other friends sat around the room on the floor and on the bed.

Maximus Pious stood up, his towering frame loomed in front of the door as a knock came. He opened the door, Dumbledore stood in the hall. Max drew himself up to his full 6'7" and said, "Come back later." Then he closed the door in Dumbledore's face.

Benito Pious, Max's younger brother, smiled at Max. "I'm gonna go stand guard outside, in case he comes back," Benny said.

"Thanks, bro," Max said.

Benny opened the door and disappeared.

Po rocked Adam back and forth, whispering into his hair.

"Clear off for a while, guys," Po said softly, "keep Dumbledore away and I'm expecting a letter from Narci soon, keep an eye out for her owl."

The five people in the room nodded and left Po to comfort Adam, who had broken down at the end of telling them what had happened.

"Moony," Po whispered as she continued to rock him.

"Make it stop, Padfoot," Adam muttered. "Make the pain stop."

"I can't this time, I can't bring him back, Moony, just like I can't bring back Papa Padfoot."

"Does it stop?" he asked.

"No, but it will fade," she answered. It had been a little more than a year since the original Padfoot's death, her own emotions were still raw from it, if it was still that bad for her she couldn't imagine how it felt for Adam. They hadn't known him in person, yet, he'd always been a physical presence. Now, it was compounded with the original Moony's death. Po wondered if Adam had reached his breaking point.

"Can Dumbledore make us go to Hogwarts?" Adam asked, finally having calmed down.

"No, he can't, I still have family, remember? Narcissa and Tonks. If they take me, they take you. They could make us go if one of them does agree to be our guardian. I doubt Tonks would want us. Or Duo may take us, she's your family. He can't do anything unless he goes over Duo's head. Besides, in England another few weeks and we're adults."

"Will Narci make us go?"

"Never, she knows that I would run."

(HP)

Po didn't sleep that night, she instead took up residence in the Library, Max and Benny stayed with Adam. She poured over tomes older than her almost seventeen years, dating all the way back to the founding of UHS and beyond. Magical law apparently hadn't changed too much over the centuries. She read until the late night hours, her lamp sputtering as the fuel ran out, she refilled it and lit several of the torches along the walls, wondering why she didn't do it earlier. She continued to read, her task and goals written out on a piece of parchment that she would occasionally scribble a bit of information on. She stopped and looked at her watch, it was nearing three A.M. She stopped her reading and let her thoughts drift away from her task.

She really wanted to go back to her room and go to bed, but she would go back to Adam's room and stay with him tonight and probably for a long time after. Something rang in her head... her room.

She had always had a room at UHS, she'd never slept in the dormitory even though she had been Sorted, she always had her own room, ever since she could remember. She'd been little more than a year old when her father had gone to Azkaban, she'd lived with Remus in America since then. American laws were different, werewolves weren't as feared as they were in England, they were allowed lives. Remus had known Duo for quite sometime, she was a relation of his late wife and the true guardian of Po who Duo later let Remus adopt. She had agreed to take both Po and Adam in while he recovered from everything that had happened to him in the last few weeks.

Artemis Duello-Lupin's death more that a year before giving birth to Adam, James and Lily's death at the hands of Voldemort, Peter's supposed death at the hands of Sirius Black, Sirius's arrest... and Severus... Remus had had no idea what had happened to Severus Snape, but he had changed. Later, the year after he had taught at Hogwarts, he found out that it had been Lily's death that had turned Snape hate for Sirius into his absolute loathing and the fact that Remus had been so trusting in Sirius that had turned Snape against Remus. Snape, like everyone else, had believed that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret Keeper.

Po shook herself out of her reverie and started on her work again, if she wanted to keep her room she needed to find a way out of Dumbledore's hands. But if she did go to Hogwarts, Harry Potter would be there, as would Snape...

No, she told herself, think of Adam. He couldn't handle being in the middle of a war zone. Then she berated herself, she was coddling him again. He was as old as she and could handle whatever he wanted.

But her promise... could she handle it?

(HP)

Po and Adam refused to leave Adam's room and Dumbledore went back to Hogwarts to wait for their reply. Their friends brought them meals and professors excused them from classes and homework.

"Padfoot," Adam said the next evening as they sat by the window, watching the sunset.

"What?" Po asked softly.

"What if Narci doesn't take us?"

"Then we still have Duo or we remain Wards of the Ministry."

"Answer me truthfully, can Dumbledore make us go to Hogwarts?"

Po sat in silence for a few seconds. "No. Not unless he becomes our guardian."

"Are you sure?" Adam asked.

"Yes, I read up on this last night while you were asleep."

Adam smiled at Po and nodded thoughtfully. "You weren't lying when you said you wouldn't break you word."

"No, I wasn't. I've got your back and I try to keep my promises."

(HP)

Another day had passed and Adam began counting down the days to the next full moon and taking the Wolfsbane Potion that the Potions Master, Professor Mathews, brewed for him and their other friend Adrian Deans. Adam sat on the floor in front of Po while she played with his hair.

"Padfoot, why shouldn't we go to Hogwarts?"

"Werewolf Registration Laws."

"That's it?"

"That's why Uncle Moony brought us here."

"Because of a law?"

"Werewolves have no rights in England, no job opportunities, no chances at a decent education, no futures. That's why we're here."

Adam seemed satisfied then said, "They didn't want us involved in the war, did they?"

"No, I guess they didn't or they would have called us back."

"Why doesn't Duo take you?" Adam asked suddenly.

Po thought about it for a second, she didn't know.

(HP)

The third day, Adam took to another fit of crying after he woke from a nightmare, his head buried into the crook of Po's neck as she rocked him.

"You left me," he said as he calmed down. "I could see you, Dad, and Uncle Padfoot and you kept walking away, ignoring me as called out to you."

"I would never ignore you, Adam," she told him. She saw the real meaning behind his dream, he dreamt she had died, just like Papa Padfoot and Uncle Moony. A knock on the door sounded through the room and she got up to answer it. "Hello?" she said as she opened it to find no one there.

Suddenly, Sarah Scott, who everyone called Scooby, jumped out from behind the corner and hugged Po.

"Padfoot, Keg Blowout Party in the dorm, night of Grad. You and Moony game?"

Po looked over at Adam who smiled impishly. "You bet your ass, Scooby."

"Cool, later!"

(HP)

Five days had past since Dumbledore had told Adam and Po the news of Remus Lupin's death when Max opened the door.

"Narci's letter," he said bringing it in to her.

"Thanks, Post."

"No prob, Padfoot."

Po opened the letter and read it out loud after Max left, "No relative of mine shall remain a Ward of the Ministry. I have started the paperwork on you and Adam. As far as Dumbledore's idea of you going to Hogwarts, forget it, I know you better than that, Polly, you're like your father and once you find some place you like you stay there, plus all your friends."

"How did she know?" Adam asked.

"I'd say Draco owled her, he most likely found out from Snape." She went back to the letter. "With Lucius's death, I am now the Master of the Manor and I shall welcome you both with open arms, as will Draco, who is looking forward to finally meeting you face to face. You shall be safe here, the wards about the house will make sure of it and you and Adam shall be able to run in the garden on full moons without fear. I shall arrange a Portkey to bring you directly into the Manor. Dumbledore may be brilliant, but by the thought of taking you to Hogwarts he is putting you in great danger, the Dark Lord shall be looking for you to join with Potter and by doing that you should sign your own Death Warrants."

"Narci was a Death Eater?" Adam asked, recognizing the term 'Dark Lord' as something only a Death Eater said.

Po shook her head. "No, Lucius was and she didn't find out 'til after they had married." She started reading the letter again, "Finish your year at UHS and inform Professor Duello of your move, but also tell her of the fact that you will remain enrolled in her school. America is a much safer place for you right now. Love, Narci."

(HP)

Po took great delight in writing Dumbledore the next morning and shooting him down as she told him about Narcissa Malfoy's decision. The rest of the day she went around hugging on her friends and even her professors.

"DUO!" Po yelled as she hugged the shorter woman. "We're staying!"

Duo hugged her back, then Adam. "That's great news! I would miss my favorite students."

"We're staying with Narci, my cousin, over the summer and then we'll be back for the school year," Po told her smiling ear to ear. "I wrote Dumbledore and told him."

"I bet you were nice, weren't you?"

Po grinned. "Damn straight."


	2. Full Moon

Adam and Po exited the school on the evening of the full moon to find Adrian, his boyfriend Josh Roccer, Max, Sarah, and Benny waiting for them.

"Ready?" Po asked.

They all nodded.

The sun sank fully over the horizon and everyone began their transformations. Max shrank, sprouting feathers and a beak, turning into a large Eagle owl. Benny, who was easily as tall as Max, shrank and sprouted feathers as well, changing into a peregrine falcon, earning him the nickname of Hawkeye. Sarah broke out in brown fur two large black spots appearing on her brown coat, taking the form of Doberman Pincher without a clipped tail or ears. Josh was easily the smallest male of the group so it was no surprise to anyone when they found he was a cat Animagi, he was nearly all black except for a white mottled right front paw and leg, he was Whiskers. Po was the last to start her transfiguration, waiting until the two werewolves began to feel the call of the moon. She actually got bigger when she transformed, a black shaggy coat enveloped her and Padfoot was reborn.

Adrian was the first to start his transformation to a wolf, his undercoat was white with a black overcoat, his right front paw and leg, like Josh, was a mottled black and white, he also had white streak down his muzzle giving him the name Blaze. Josh nuzzled Adrian and licked his nose, cleaning the blood from where he had started to bleed during the change. Adam hit the ground on all fours, his fur slowly growing, a white coat taking place of his clothing, reddish brown ear laid back as Moony howled, Blaze, Scooby, and Padfoot picking up with it.

Padfoot panted and trotted over to Moony, nuzzling his neck. Moony licked her muzzle and then crouched down and turned to tackle Scooby. Scooby yelped and together they wrestled on the ground. Post and Hawkeye took to the skies to keep an eye out for anyone who may stumble on the group and inadvertently place themselves in danger.

(HP)

Together the group slowly made their way back the next morning, Max and Benny supporting Adam. Josh, though small, was a Beater for the Quidditch team and easily carried Adrian. Scotty and Po followed them leaning on each other.

As Po crawled into bed with Adam he snuggled up to her and smiling he said, "Party's next week."

(HP)

Adam and Po enter their House's dorm and was greeted by the sight of Max and Sarah dancing in their underwear on a table covered in playing cards.

"Strip poker," Adrian yelled in her ear. "One helluva party!"

Po hugged him. "Congrats, Valedictorian!"

Adrian smiled, thanking her, and was pulled back into the middle of the room, which was serving as a makeshift dance floor, by Josh.

"CHUG, CHUG, CHUG," came a chant from the corner of the room where a Seventh Year boy named Tom was drinking directly from the keg tap.

No one under Sixth Year was here, Po noted, she herself hadn't been allowed in one of these parties until this year, all the underclassmen had been sent home. Adam yelped as a Sixth Year girl, Brandy Adams who was a Chaser for the Quidditch team, grabbed him and pulled him onto the dance floor. Po smiled at him as he started to dance, another girl joined them and handed Adam a cup. The Quidditch Captain, a Sixth Year, Johnny Allen came over to Po and handed her a cup before pulling her out onto the floor.

"How's my Chaser?" he asked as they started dancing to the techno music.

"Excellent, now," she said. "Are we ready for next year?"

"Yeah, baby," he replied. "All we need is a new Beater."

"Benny Pious, Max's little brother, Fifth Year."

Johnny gave her a reckless smile. "Good call."

"We've had that Cup three years now, let's not give it up yet!"

(HP)

Somehow, Adam and Po had managed to find their way back to his room, although, Po didn't quite make it to the bed and had ended up sleeping on the floor.

Adam moaned as he woke up a few hours later by a brief pounding on the door, Duo giving them a wake up call. "Padfoot, I'm going to be sick."

Po slowly rolled over on the floor and started to crawl towards the bathroom. "You'll have to wait or puke on the floor."

(HP)

Professor Mathews had enough foresight to brew hangover cures the night before and have them handed out the next morning at breakfast. Max and Sarah blushed each time they looked at each other, Johnny was asking Max about Benny, Adrian was a bit wistful as he looked about and realized that he wasn't coming back next year and Josh was trying to cheer him up.

Po and Adam were sitting at the far end of the table. "You realize this will be the first summer we haven't stayed at school," Adam said.

Po nodded, she was feeling homesick already and hadn't even left yet. "It's just twelve weeks; three months, and it's really less than that when you realize that we'll be coming back early. Draco has to be back at Hogwarts on the 31st of August, so we'll be leaving before then."

Adam nodded. "Yeah, plus we'll have to come back and do most of our school shopping."

"So it'll be more like nine weeks." Po forced a smile.

"You don't wanna go."

"Not really." Po wanted to go, sure, but it was safer here.

"We'll be fine," Adam said.

Po wasn't so sure of that, but said nothing. An eagle owl landed in front of Po and held out its leg so she take the box tied to it off. "Thanks," she said, giving it some toast. "It's our Portkey, set for eleven a.m."

Adam nodded. "It's 10:30, now, should we go get our things?"

"Finish your breakfast first, Moony, and you need to take your other potion."

(HP)

Duo had followed them to Adam's room. "Be careful, I have a bad feeling, something's coming," she said.

"Dumbledore's going to try something," Po said.

Duo scowled. "He already has, remember?"

Po nodded. "I'll owl you when I get there."

"No, here," Duo said and pressed a cell phone into her hands. "I've programmed my number in there, use it for emergencies."

Po hugged Duo. "You're the best, Duo."

"Call me when you get there," Duo said with a smile.

"Yes, Mom," Po replied with a smirk as she slipped the phone into her pocket. She turned to Adam and pulled out the Portkey. "Grab your trunk, Adam." Together they touched the Portkey, a ring, and felt the familiar hook behind her navel.

(HP)

At Malfoy Manor, Draco Malfoy was reclining on the marble stairs while his mother paced. "Anytime, now," she kept saying.

"Mum!" he finally said smiling at her. "They'll be here. Don't worry."

"She may have changed her mind." Narcissa Malfoy chewed her thumbnail.

Draco shook his head and she sat down on the step next to him, a few things had happened to Draco in the last year and it had changed him greatly. He had seen Snape tortured within an inch of his life for being a traitor and had watched his father die at the hands of Voldemort, sacrificing himself for Narcissa and Draco. And it had finally dawned on him after nearly two years that the Dark Lord was not the answer. Nor was the path he was on the correct one. He had changed that and he and Narcissa had joined the Order of the Phoenix. While Draco was now part of the Order, he still hated Harry Potter and Harry Potter still seemed to hate him. The more things change, the more they stay the same Draco figured.

He started to say something when Po and Adam crashed to the floor. "They're here."

Narcissa laughed then went to help Po and Adam up. Draco grabbed Adam's hand and pulled him up while Narcissa helped Po.

Po smiled and hugged Narcissa. "Hey, Narci," she said. "This is Adam Lupin."

"Hello," Adam said.

Narcissa smiled and hugged him. "Hello, welcome to Malfoy Manor, this is Draco."

Draco nodded and shook Adam's hand then turned to Po. "You must be Polaris, it a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Just call me Po," she said shaking his hand.

"Let me show you both to your rooms," Draco said, "the elves will get your trunks in a minute."

(HP)

Po pulled the phone from her pocket and found Duo's number, there was nothing like having a Muggle oriented Headmistress.

"Hello?" Duo answered sounding nervous.

"Hey, we made it," Po told her.

"Okay, good, I just got a letter from the British Ministry of Magic, Po," Duo sounded upset now.

Po's breath caught in her chest. "Werewolf Registration?"

"I'm sorry, Po, I know you were trying to avoid it. It says that due to the fact that Adam current address is now in England he must register. They are sending the paperwork to be filed out to Malfoy Manor."

"Damn it!" Po cried.

"It also says that if you do not have any current pictures of his wolf form he will have to stay the night of the full moon under surveillance. I've owled you the last set of pictures we took of him, so there's at least that."

"Thanks, Duo, I owe you big time."

"Don't thank me yet, I've got more bad news."

"Now what?" Po asked exasperated.

"Dumbledore, he went over your head, Narcissa's head, and my head. I just found out, he went to the school's governors and offered them an invitation. The whole school is going to Hogwarts."

"Damn him!" Po yelled. "And damn my stubborn hide, too."

"Po---"

"Don't come, Duo, I'm sending Adam back."

"I don't have too much choice in the matter, Po."

"Talk them out of it, I know you can."

Duo sighed. "Po, we're coming."

"Duo, please, stay there, I won't put Adam in this kind of danger and I'm sending him home. I'll stay here."

"He's cornered us."

"See if you can talk us out of that corner, I'll stay but Adam can't."

"He'll be miserable without you."

"I know, but I'd rather he'd miserable and safe than happy and in the path of Voldemort."

"I'll see what I can do, but the Werewolf Registration...?"

"I'll take care of him. Call me when you know something definite on the Hogwarts sitch."

"All right, bye, Po."

"Bye, Duo."

A knock sounded on Po's door followed by Narcissa saying, "Polly, may I come in?"

"Yeah, Narci."

Narcissa opened the door and with one look knew something was wrong. "What is it?"

"Close the door and I'll tell you."

Narcissa closed the door and sat down next to Po. "What happened?"

"Adam's got to register, the Ministry sent the letter to Duo. They are sending paperwork here, I have to tell Adam before it gets here. On top of that, Dumbledore has beat me, he has the whole of UHS going to Hogwarts next year."

"That barmy old codger!" Narcissa stood up and started to pace. "He doesn't realize what type of danger you'll be in!" She stopped and sat down beside Po again and said in near whisper, "I was going to enroll Draco at UHS."

"Duo's trying to talk the governors out of making us go, she'll let me know when she's got the answer," Po told her. "I'm thinking of sending Adam back to UHS if Duo succeeds, I'll go to Hogwarts."

"Po---"

Po shook her head. "If I can protect Adam by doing this, I will. I'll write Dumbledore."

"ADAM! There's a letter here for you!" Po heard Draco yell; she shot out of her room and intercepted Adam at the top of the stairs.

"He'll be down in a minute, Draco!" Po called down. "There's something I have to tell you, Adam. I just talked to Duo, she said that the Ministry sent you a letter to UHS. It was your Registry order."

Adam took a deep breath and gave Po a weak smile. "I knew it was coming," he said.

"She's sending the last pictures we took of you, so that much is taken care of, but there's still paperwork and if I remember correctly a physical examination."

Adam swallowed hard. "Okay."

"You're allowed to take someone with you when you go for your exam."

"You'll come, won't you?" he asked as if there was a doubt in his mind.

Po took his hand and squeezed it. "Of course."

(HP)


End file.
